Tecora Rogers

www.tecorarogers.com

B I O G R A P H I C A L

Tecora Rogers is a prolific and internationally renowned singer, composer, teacher and producer. Born and raised in Chicago, IL, her musical roots can be traced back to singing in her angelic church choir at the tender age of six. Inspired by her spiritual upbringing and her love of jazz, Tecora infused the two musical genres creating “power jazz,” which combines the complexity of jazz with the electricity of gospel, a sound that differentiates her from other jazz musicians.

Tecora’s infectious warmth and vocal prowess has “wowed” listeners across the globe. She has performed throughout the United States, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Slovenia,
Belgium, Germany and Asia. Her performances have won over discriminating audiences in Russia and the Ukraine with extensive 10 and 13-city concert tours. She also was requested to teach gospel music at the Moscow College of Improvised Music in Moscow, Russia and she conducted a Master class on gospel and spiritual music at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory of Music in October 2014.

Additionally, Tecora received a personal invitation from the American Ambassador for Thai- land (Ambassador Ralph Boyce) to perform for her country’s 2005 Independence Day
Celebration and was asked to make a presentation during a press conference with John Tefft, American Ambassador to Russia and other American and Russian Diplomats in Yaroslavl Russia (October 2014). Her international commercial credits include singing lead vocals for “KFC is Cookin” television and radio advertising, and background vocals on the Starhub television commercial in Singapore.

Throughout her career, Tecora has had the opportunity to perform with several prominent jazz musicians including saxophonists Wilton Felder, Von Freeman and Ronnie Laws, legendary guitarist George Freeman, renowned trumpeters Dr. Donald Byrd and Tom Browne and the incomparable Norman Connors. In 2003, Tecora established her own gospel group, “The Chicago Spirituals” who toured Italy for the first time in 2004 and continues to tour annually. “Tecora Rogers & the Chicago Spirituals” is the official gospel group for Spirit of Chicago Cruises. Tecora is the recipient of multiple Fulbright-Hays grants from the United States Embassy in Moscow and St. Petersburg Russia and her group Tecora Rogers and the Chicago Spirituals toured Russia in September/October 2014. Tecora continues to extensively tour throughout the world as well as teach master classes in jazz, gospel, spirituals and voice.

Tecora also uses broadcast media to showcase her talents and expand her reach. Since 1996, she has hosted her own television program, The Tecora Rogers Show, which airs every Mon- day at 10:00pm on Channel 19 in Chicago. In addition, Tecora and her husband Neal Harper hosts Ubuntu – Humanity Toward Others, a weekly Internet radio program.

Tecora was asked to join Chicago’s famed Eleven Divas. This is a group of Chicago’s most talented female vocalists who have joined together to present one of the most spectacular shows ever presented to the Chicago audience.

When Tecora is not traveling the world performing jazz and or gospel, she is working on a program that teaches African American History to middle school and high school students and adults. Tecora lives in Chicago with her husband Neal Harper. Tecora holds a Master of Arts degree in African American Religious History and Culture from DePaul University.